JUNIOR TAKES THE WHEEL
by Donna McIntosh
Summary: Junior decides to end her daddy’s loneliness and follows ahunch to Childress, Texas and Jack Twist.


Title: JUNIOR TAKES THE WHEEL

Author: Brokeback Mountain

Rating: NC-17 FRAO

Warning: Sexually explicit M/M scenes.

Disclaimer: These characters belong to Annie Proulx. No money is being

Made off of them.

Summary: Junior decides to end her daddy's loneliness and follows a

hunch to Childress, Texas and Jack Twist.

JUNIOR TAKES THE WHEEL

Junior jumped in her car and headed over to her daddy's place. Kurt

was gone for his two week stint in the National Guard and she had

already quit her job anticipating their move to Cheyenne. She was

about all packed and had some time to kill and decided to go see her

daddy.

She drove up in a whirl of dust and waited for it to clear before she

opened the door and got out.

It was Friday night, his truck was there and she could hear the faint

sound of some country music coming from inside. She knocked on the

door and was greeted with a smile and a hug.

"What you doin here sweetheart?" He pulled her inside.

"I got some time on my hands, with Kurt gone and all, and I wanted to

spend some of it with you. Is that OK?" She smiled at him.

"Well, you come to the right place then. I ain't exactly set up for

much in the way of company. Want to go into town, get something to

eat, drink?"

"No daddy, I've already eaten and from the mess on the cupboard,

looks like you've already eaten too."

"Oh yeah. Sorry 'bout that. Usually do some cleanin 'round here on

Saturday so I just left it." He mumbled his excuse for the

mess. "C'mon. Sit down. What's on your mind?"

"You are, Daddy. Ever since Kurt and I got married and I been so

happy and all, I can't stop thinkin 'bout you. Wonderin..."

"Wonderin what?" He opened two bottles of beer and sat down with her.

"Why, you're always alone. Why you don't get yourself out more.

Find someone." She sipped her beer.

He looked down at his dusty boots; it was easier than looking her in

the eye when he was lying to her. "Guess some folks just weren't

meant to be married." He looked up at her, head tilted to one side,

to see if she was buying it.

"Far as I know, you haven't even seen anyone since that waitress,

Cassie, and that was years ago. Don't you ever just

get...lonely?" She turned down the cigarette he offered her. He

lit one for himself. She nailed him with her eyes.

"Everybody gets lonely." He mumbled looking away. Couldn't take

those eyes looking all the way inside him.

They sat and drank in silence for a while until Ennis began to fidget.

"There are plenty of eligible women round town. I could arrange a

meeting if there's anyone..."

He stood up and cut her off. "Babygirl, I ain't interested in meetin

nobody." He went for a second beer.

"Well you should get out more. Go places. When was the last time

you even went fishing? Does your friend from Texas still come up and

go fishing with you?"

"Once in a while. Not often." he added quickly, looking away. No

eye contact.

"Why don't you take some time off. See if you can't get him up here

a little more often. Or you could drive down there? You could

borrow my car?" she offered.

"Nah. He's busy. Got a family down there." He leaned against the

counter and kept his eyes on the floor.

She came over to him then and hugged him. "I worry about you Daddy.

You spend too much time alone; you drink too much, you smoke too much

and you don't eat right." She chastised him lovingly.

"You don't need to be worryin 'bout me. I'm fine. You just

worry 'bout that new husband of yours." He cuddled her close.

"All right, Daddy; if you say so. I'm gonna go now. I got lots to

do over the weekend."

He walked her to the door, kissed her temple and she was gone.

She didn't know exactly when the plan formed in her head; whether on

the drive home or as she lay there trying to sleep but next morning

she got up, threw a few things in a bag, gassed up her car and

headed south.

It was after 10:00 that night when she arrived in Childress. She

found a motel, checked in and took a shower. She paced the floor and

thought about what she was going to do. It was not a matter of

should she or shouldn't she. It was a matter of how to do what she

came to do. It was nearly 11:00 when she decided, what the hell.

It was Saturday night; he might still be up. If his wife answered, she

could always say "wrong number".

She called information, got the number and dialed it without

hesitation. She was afraid if she thought about it any more, she'd

back down; at least for the night. She didn't want to do that. She

had this to do and she wanted to get on with it. If she was wrong,

well, she could always high-tail it back to Riverton.

The phone rang once, twice and in the middle of the third ring it was

picked up. "Twist residence" a male voice answered.

She took a deep breath and went for it.

"Jack Twist?" she asked.

"Yes, Ma'am, how can I help you?" His natural friendliness brought

a smile to her lips and a little relief that if she was wrong, he

wouldn't be too hard on her for it.

"You're a friend of my Daddy's, Ennis Del Mar." She had to wait,

play it by ear, see how he reacted.

"Ennis? Is he all right? Somethin happen to him?" She had her

answer in his quick, worried reply.

"He ain't hurt or nothin; but we need to talk. Can you meet me?"

Her pulse quickened. "I'm here at the Ramada Inn on Fourth Street

just off Main, room 244, 'round back."

"Be there in 10 minutes." he hung up the phone, scrubbed his hand

over his face and went into the bedroom to check on Lureen. She was

sound asleep. He picked up his jacket and walked out.

The streets weren't all that busy for a Saturday night, a few places

he passed were hopping but mostly the town was quiet. He wondered

and worried about this visit. Was it Junior or Jenny? He had heard

Ennis speak about both of them. Thought it must be Junior, she was

the older of the two and much closer to her daddy. He wondered if

Ennis knew she was here in town.

He pulled around back and found a parking spot close to room 244. He

knocked on the door and waited.

She answered it right off, smiled and offered her hand. "Mr. Twist.

I'm Junior. We met once before. Do you remember?"

He remembered all too well. It was one of the worst days of his

life. He swallowed that bile back down and took her hand with one of

his best smiles. "I surely do remember you, and it's 'Jack', please."

He came on into the room and they sat down at the table.

"You're daddy know you're here?" he asked, trying to start things off

in a light manner.

She was mesmerized by his smiling blue eyes. He sure was good

looking, this Jack Twist.

"No. As a matter of fact, he doesn't. Probably skin me alive if he

did." she laughed a nervous little twitter.

Jack licked his lips, tongue coming to rest in the corner of his

mouth.

"I been awful worried about him, Mr. ...Jack. He's so alone and he

don't want to meet nobody, don't wanna go out. He drinks too

much..." she looked at him and prayed she was doing the right

thing. "He's just so...sad. Miserable, I'd say."

Jack nodded his head, breath coming harder, something squeezing

inside him. Control. Control. He rubbed the tips of his fingers

with his thumb and worried. Stayed silent. Looked away from those

brown eyes digging deep into places inside him where they didn't

belong.

She worried she had gone to far, said to much; but she was here and

this thing need doing and if there was one thing her Daddy had taught

her it was to do a job right; get it done. She took a deep breath

and dove in.

"I know you think this is none of my business and normally you would

be right about that, but I just thought you needed to know how

miserable he is."

"There ain't nothin I can do 'bout that." He looked at her then and

it was all there in her eyes. She either suspected or she knew.

"I tried a thousand times. He's stubborn as a mule." was all he

could get out before stopping himself.

"Oh, I know that. What he needs is a good push; a kick in the rear.

I tried to get him to come down here; visit you; but he won't budge."

"You talked about this with him?" He was astonished.

"Oh no; not really. Wasn't sure there was a 'this' until just now

when I saw how worried you are about him." She gave him one of her

sweet little smiles.

Jack studied her features. She looked more like Alma but her heart

was all Ennis's. "There isn't much I can do, really."

"Yes, you sure enough can!" she demanded.

"What?" he asked, a little stunned by her boldness. That must be

from Alma, he thought.

"You can get yourself up there to Riverton; put a smile back on his

face."

He smiled at her. "If that was all it'd take, I'd do it in a

heartbeat, but it ain't what he wants. Too worried what folk's would

think." He drummed his fingers on the table between them.

"Who cares what people think?"

"Your daddy does. More than any one I've ever known. Worries 'bout

it every second we're together."

"Why that's nonsense." she was appalled. "You mean to tell me all

this misery is because he's worried about what people might think of

him? It's 1984 for Pete's sake!"

"I know, I know. His Pa told him some story when he was a kid about

some fellas livin together and one of them was took out and killed.

Beat to death. It's deep inside him and he thinks that what will

happen to him or me if we got together on a permanent basis."

He shook his head in defeat.

"Well you're not just gonna accept that are you? I mean, if you and

Daddy love each other, you should be together. I thought maybe you

didn't want to leave your wife or somethin."

"No. It ain't never been that I wasn't ready to jump if I got the

chance. But he's gotta want it too or it ain't no good."

She stood up and went for some water. Offered him some and he took

it; letting it's coolness spread through him, cooling him down.

"We gotta do something about this. Gotta get him out of this

miserable life he's living." She paced the floor.

He sat and watched her think. She was so much like her Daddy in so many ways;

yet he could see Alma in there too.

"I'd be open to any suggestions." he offred. "I've tried everythin I

know to try and haven't been able to change his mind in nearly 20

years now."

"You known each other that long? This thing between you two that

strong?" She asked.

"Yeah. Since '63. We were both 19 years old. Didn't know nothin

from nothin back then or I'd never let him outta my sight."

He choked up then, his emotions cutting off the words, regret filling

his eyes with tears he refused to let fall.

"Ok then. We agree we gotta do somethin. Can you get away? How

tied up are you here?" she asked.

"I could be gone a year or two and I doubt I'd be missed any." He

shook his head sorrowfully. "What'cha got on your mind? Somethin

Ennis is gonna kill us both for?" he grinned at her.

"Why don't you pack a few things, come back here in the mornin.

We'll take us a little drive back to Riverton. See if we can shake

things up a bit." She smiled at him.

"Boy, you sure do love tuggin on superman's cape, don't you?" He

put his hat back on and waked to the door. "What time you want me

here?"

"How's 8:00 sound? We need an early start. It's a long drive." She

opened the door for him.

They took off early the next morning heading north. CB radios set to

the same channel so they could keep in touch on the way. They

talked a little but mostly kept to their own thoughts, trying to

conjure up some idea that would work. It was late when they pulled

into Riverton; Jack took a room at the Siesta Motel and Junior headed

on home after one final conversation.

"You have any idea what you're gonna say to him?" She asked.

"Not yet. Have to play it by ear. I'll push it far as I can but he

don't exactly take to pushin." he answered, keeping in mind they were

talking on a radio and not in a private conversation.

"I know what you mean. But this needs doin, Jack. He can't go on

like this much longer; neither can you, I expect."

"You got that right. OK then. You drive carefully now and I'll let

you know what happens."

"Ok. If you need me, just call. You still got my number, don't you?"

"Yeah, I got it. And Junior, Thank you. I mean that."

"Don't need to thank me. Just do what you came here to do. And

don't forget to call me! I'll be worryin for you."

"Thanks, sweet girl. I will call you; either way. Night now."

"Night."

It was 11:30 Sunday night when Jack knocked on the trailer door. It

took a third knock before the lights came on and a surly Ennis clad

only in his under shorts, yanked open the door squinted out into the

night.

"What the hell?" His eyes darted around quickly to see if anyone was

watching. The place was all dark. He reached out and pulled Jack in

by his jacket front. Once inside, they came together in a deep kiss

that lasted quite a spell, neither one of them willing to give it up

just yet.

Finally Ennis broke it off, backed up arms length, holding Jack by

the arms. "What the hell you doin here?"

"We need to talk." Jack said serious as a man could be who was still

trying to catch his breath from all that kissing.

"Jesus, Bud. You know what time it is? I got to be to work

early..." he stopped, seeing in Jack's eyes this was too important

to wait.

"Can we sit down?" Jack asked, nervous now, but determined to go on.

"Sure." He sat on the corner of the bed and motioned for Jack to sit

in the one chair that sat at his little table. "What's on your mind?"

"It came to me, that there were things between us that never got

said. Things that need sayin."

"Uh huh" Ennis was listening; paying attention.

"I love you, Ennis. Always have. And I think you love me too." He

stared at Ennis who sat there, elbows on knees, hands laced together,

head down.

"I know you're uncomfortable with this but like I said; this needs

sayin."

"Can't see as how sayin it makes things any different." He picked at

his thumbnail.

"It does. It makes all the difference in the world. What some people

won't do for friendship or sex, they might just do for love."

"You're talkin in riddles now, Jack." He shook his head.

Jack reached over and caressed the side of Ennis's neck. He leaned

into the touch and placed a kiss in Jack's palm, nuzzled his face

down into it, held it close with his own hand. Dark eyes came up to

meet blue. "Why don't you come over here a little closer" he said in

a husky voice.

It took every ounce of strangth he had to pull his hand back; let it

slip out of the embrace. "Ennis." He had to clear his voice as well

as his mind and get on with it. "I made a decision today, drivin up

here. I'm movin up here. Lightning Flat. It's my home. Or at

least, it will be, once the old man's gone. He's gonna be 70 next

birthday; time for him to step aside whether he knows it or not. We

can pull your trailer up there, stay in it till we get us a place

built. Won't be nobody's business who sleeps where. We'll just be a

son come home bringing a friend and his trailer along to help run the

place. Won't rouse nobody's suspicions, us bein there with Momma and

Pa still on the place. We both divorced, got kids. As long as we

can behave ourselves in public, don't matter what we do in private."

He stopped for a breath and licked his dry lips. "It's time, Ennis.

I need you. I need you now. Not some maybe time out there in the

future somewhere. I got a nice chunk of money saved up, enough for

some major improvements on the place and to increase the herd.

There'll be a place for your horses; we can even get more if you

want. Maybe a coupla dogs." He searched the dark eyes, trying to

read them.

"I'm gonna do this, Ennis. Pa's lettin the place go to hell, I need

to get after it, bring it back to what it was in my Grandpa's day.

You and me, we can do that, Ennis. If you don't help me, I'll have

to hire someone. I'd rather have you there." He paused, looking for

more words.

"Jack..."

"Don't say 'no'. I couldn't stand it if you said 'no' to me again."

Jack stood up and walked a ways away. "Just think 'bout it.

Please. You owe me that much, Ennis. Just say you'll think 'bout

it." He turned back to Ennis who had dropped his head into his

hands, eyes on the floor.

"You want me bad enough to risk your life? Cause that's what you'd

be doin. At any time, one of us could be drug out of our bed in the

middle of the night and bashed to death. You given that any

thought?" He looked up sideways at Jack standing there.

"YES! Yes, I want you that bad. Worse, even. And, Yes, I have

given it thought. I figure we'd better sleep real close like, maybe

wrapped 'round each other real tight so's if they come for one of us,

they gotta take both cause I wouldn't let you go and it'd be no easy

thing for them to take both of us on." He said it with a smile on his

face but he was dead serious. He knew how scared Ennis was of this

very thing.

"I reckon you're needin an answer tonight?" Ennis asked, raising up

to stand in front of him.

"I reckon." Jack stood frozen to that spot; tense and waiting.

"You sure 'bout this thing? Cause I don't wanna go quittin my job

that I hate, and movin out of this town that I hate, and movin out of

this trailer that I hate, lessin you plan on keepin me 'round a

while."

"I am absolutely positive Ennis Del Mar! I want you for everyday for

the rest of my life, ain't nothin ever gonna change that."

Ennis took the two steps it took to bring them close together.

"Ain't nothin ever gonna change the needin I got inside of me

neither." He reached for Jack's head and brought their mouths

together for a long deep kiss. "You're the only thing that takes

that ache away." He kissed him again.

"You really want to do this?" he whispered against the side of Jack's

neck.

"Uh huh. More than I wanna go on breathin cause livin without you

ain't livin at all, as far as I'm concerned." He pulled his jacket

back off his shoulders, tossed it on the chair. "What about you?

How would you feel 'bout sleepin with me every night. Wakin up

beside me every mornin? That somethin that might interest you?" He

pulled his shirt loose from his jeans.

"I'd say that'd interest me real good." He watched as Jack unsnapped

his shirt and tossed it to the chair.

"Anythin else I could interest you in?" he unbuckled his belt and

unzipped.

Ennis was breathin heavy. "There is somethin else needs sayin."

"What's that?" Jack asked toing off his boots.

"We talked about Mexico and stuff like that. I don't wanna

know 'bout it, you hear?" He watched as Jack slid his jean down off

his long slender legs. "Don't care 'bout any of that stuff, don't

wanna know it. Just want your word there won't be anyone else

trespassin in my territory."

"You got it cowboy. Anythin else?" He pulled off his socks.

"I guess we're stayin here for the night?" It was becoming difficult

to put a sentence together.

"That OK with you?" Jack slid his shorts off slowly.

"aah yeah. ok, c'meer" he pulled Jack to him and in seconds they

were straining against each other on the bed. First one on top then

the other. Warm bodies, arms and legs reaching to touch as much of

each other as possible. Hands running over backs, chests, faces,

bottoms; pulling on each other trying to get closer and closer.

Ennis's shorts long since tossed aside.

Mouths devouring each other, tongues doing battle, hands clawing at

each other desperate with need. Clinging, panting, moaning, they

pushed and shoved against one another; passion in full control now.

Hips bucking together; Ennis let out the first strangled cry as he

spilled all over Jack's stomach and that tipped Jack over. He let

out a long groan and collapsed.

It was several seconds before either could speak. Then Ennis

said. "C'mon. We need a shower." He pulled Jack's arm and tugged

him into the shower. They stood under the warm water and soaped each

other up.

"We made a mess in your bed, Cowboy. Sorry 'bout that." Jack

apologized while covering Ennis's neck with kisses.

Ennis leaned into it, enjoying the sensations that were flooding

through him. Jack in his bed. Jack in his shower. Jack everyday.

Jack. Jack. "mmmm. Don't worry 'bout it. Got clean sheets in the

drawer. Or we could just stand here like this forever."

"You goin to sleep on me?" Jack whispered into an ear then kissed his

way around behind it up to the damp curls.

"S'late. Gotta work tomorrow." He pulled Jack's arm closer around

him.

"Thought you was gonna be working with me?" Jack held him close from

behind with one arm and let the other wander down and started soaping

up that cock.

"Hmmmm? Yeah. That's right. What time do I start?" He mumbled and

leaned back into the caress.

"I guess I'll have to come up with a list of chores for you. I think

it will start with a morning fuck each and every mornin and of

course, I'll expect one every night as well. You think you can

handle all that?"

"You lookin for a ranch manager or a house boy?" His hips were moving

with the rhythm of Jack's hand.

"I'm lookin for you, Ennis Del Mar. Whatever you want to call

yourself is fine with me, long as I get to call you mine."

"I been your's since Brokeback. Guess you know that."

Jack slid one hand between them, soaping himself up. He let go of

Ennis's cock long enough to grab both hips, pull them back and slide

up into his favorite place on earth.

"Oooohhh. You plannin on doin that a lot?" Ennis asked breathing

hard.

"uh huh. Often as I can. That OK with you." He pumped his hips in

a nice easy rhythm.

"Didn't know this job was gonna come with extras." he whispered,

putting his hands out to prop himself up against the shower wall,

hips pushed back as far as possible, moving back and forth, matching

Jack's every thrust.

"So many extras you'll need a calculator to count all of them." The

thrusting became harder, faster.

Ennis's head back against Jack's, Jack working hard, pounding into

him. Ennis lurched forward, grabbed his cock as it shot off against

the shower wall, he screamed or was that Jack screaming. Couldn't

tell; didn't matter.

They were sitting on the floor of the shower getting soaked in the

now cooled water. Ennis turned it off and reached for towels. They

dried each other off, quickly changed sheets, and slipped into bed,

wrapped around each other as Jack had promised.

"You treat all your ranch hands like this?" Ennis asked snuggling up

against him.

"Nah. Just the ones I think about fuckin mornin, noon and night."

Jack answered spooning up behind him.

"Oh. Ok, I guess." Ennis's breaths were coming deep and steady now,

almost asleep

"Oh, Ennis. Don't let me forget tomorrow morning to call Junior and

thank her."

"Junior?" He sat bolt upright in bed. "What's she got to do with

this?"

"C'meer." Jack pulled him back into his arms. "I'll tell you in the

morning. Wanna sleep now." They cuddled back down and were both

asleep in minutes.

Junior paced the floor, waiting for a call. None came. She climbed

back into bed ready for sleep. The silent phone was a good sign, she

decided. At least it meant they were still talking. Jack would get

to him; say all the right things; she was sure of that. He had to.

If he didn't, her daddy would kill her, sure enough!!!

The end

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